20 December 2010
Dick had arranged for a private wine tasting at a boutique vineyard on the outskirts of Stellenbosch so we decided to make a proper weekend of it, do a little more sightseeing and stay overnight at a guest house. We drove the Chapman's Peak Drive always a good start to any trip. The views over Hout Bay and the Atlantic beyond were, as always, quite stunning, especially as it was a still clear day. We spent the remainder of the morning at the Naval Museum in Simon's Town and returned to The Harbour House Restaurant in the tiny fishing village of Kalk Bay where we had previously lunched with Sue and Donald. Driving around the huge expanse of False Bay, this time the coast road remained open for us, then we dived inland on a long detour to ascend Sir Lowry's Pass and on through the Franschhoek mountains. Thickly forested on the lower slopes and rugged above the tree line it was amazingly like a Scottish landscape, so green, even at this time of year. We are now into a full South African summer with temperatures well into the thirties. Suddenly you emerge from the narrow winding mountain pass to look high over the valley which stretches far and away into the distance and beyond. Fruit orchards and vineyards make up a patchwork quilt of green. The view was breathtaking. Now we descended into Franschhoek, on this day packed with people and clearly a favourite of the trendies. We made a mental note to return. Still replete from lunch we had a light supper of wine and cheese at our Dutch style B&B, in the neighbouring town of Paarle. Next day we had a quick visit to Dorp Street in Stellenbosch, renowned for its lovely restored houses and lined by oak trees, before arriving for our appointment at Mitre's Edge. This was a small family run vineyard and our private tasting in their exquisite below stairs cellar was an exclusive and tasteful affair. What's more we learned that the family had Scottish ancestry. Who doesn't! An enormous buffet lunch at Olivello's on the Marianne estate followed. We won't need to eat for at least another week!
David and I have taken to watching DVD's!!! This is unheard of. There are so few rally people left here that we are now also compelled to join in the long term liveaboards video club! Not that we are complaining. It had kept us entertained through many a dark windy night. The wind was so very strong the other night, we could hear nothing but the howl of the wind. We closed up the hatches, we turned up the volume to its maximum and still we could not hear any sound above the screaming wind.
Susan Mackay